


I Need You, You Need Me

by LovingItLazy



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Eventual Sex, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Language, Romance, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:27:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23705344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovingItLazy/pseuds/LovingItLazy
Summary: A series of ShuAnn/RenxAnn oneshots (along with some side stories). Updates will be random; just whenever I am able to write and whenever I have a good idea for a story in my head.This series will contain strong language and will eventually contain sex in future chapters. Characters are 16/17, so that is why there is the Underage tag.Some chapters, however, will be perfectly G rated. That is why I’ve decided to go ahead and rate the entire fic Explicit, but individually rate each chapter. Please keep this in mind when reading.Note: The characters list is just the main two characters. Other characters will make appearances, I just don’t feel like listing them all.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Takamaki Ann, Persona 5 Protagonist/Takamaki Ann
Comments: 14
Kudos: 70





	1. Alone (PG)

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first AO3 fic. I am still learning how this site works, so everything may not look right at first. Please bear with me as I try to figure it all out and bring you guys an (hopefully) entertaining series.

**This chapter is a slight re-write of the moment Ann and Ren become a couple (Confidant Rank 9). I hope you all enjoy :)**

  
“I guess...I’m alone again, huh?”

The sentence barely squeaked out of Ann’s throat. Ren could hear the sheer pain in her voice, and it hurt him deeply just being forced to listen. His eyes focused on her face, hidden by her hands. 

“Ann...” he spoke softly, in hopes of sparking some sort of reaction. She did nothing. It felt like time had stopped as they were standing still on the quiet roof of the school building Shiho had left them on. For a moment, he just stopped and glanced over her, and found that even when she was at her lowest point, she was still as beautiful as ever. But he hated knowing that she was feeling so much pain on the inside, and couldn’t bear it any longer. After a deep breath, Ren took a couple of steps forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Ann.” he stated more emphatically this time. Her ears perked up slightly at his louder voice. “Look at me.” He paused for effect. “Look at me...and tell me you’re alone,” he finished. 

Ann never told him, but she always loved the sound of Ren’s voice. The deep, soothing tone always made her feel peaceful...safe...at _home_. The fact that he didn’t really use it that much made it even more precious to her; so listening to him now, talking directly to her, trying everything in his power to make her feel even just _slightly_ better, made her problems begin to fizzle away, even if for just a moment. 

She slowly uncovered her face, clearly ridden with tears. Her vibrant, blue eyes latched onto his quiet, yet endearing grey ones. He placed a hand on her cheek, using his thumb to wipe a visible droplet away.

“R-Ren...I...” she began, her voice quivering. She tilted her head slightly into his warm hand, and shut her eyes closed. “...I’m sorry. I’m so...so sorry. I don’t deserve you.”

“Ann, it’s okay-”

“No, it’s not okay!” she exclaimed as she opened her eyes to face his again. “You’ve been there for me - time and time again - when no one else would,” she began with a softer tone. “You listened to me vent about Kamoshida, you gave me a home with the Phantom Thieves; hell, you’ve even spent so much of your time just helping me with my stupid modeling career,” she ended with a slight chuckle. “And then I say that I’m _alone_...” Ren remained silent. “I just...I don’t get it. Why do you care so much about someone like me?”

“Because you _do_ deserve it.” 

His statement made Ann’s expression turn from sadness to confusion. 

“Ann...when we first met in the rain, I knew something about you was different. At that time, it felt like the entire world was against me. Everyone thought I was just some heartless criminal...” Ann slightly winced at his words, for she recalled it too. She hated how so many people thought so many horrible things of him when really they knew so little. “But you? You looked at me...and _smiled_. You just saw someone who was hurting, who needed someone, anyone, to tell them ‘I care,’ and with that simple smile, you did. You gave me...hope.” Ann’s eyes never left his gaze as he spoke. “Ever since we became friends, you changed my _life_. You’ve always been so kind and caring...to _everyone_ ; not to mention that you’re also strong, courageous, and...beautiful.” That last word caused Ann’s cheeks to slightly redden in color. “You’re my inspiration, Ann.”

Ann was taken back. He spoke about her with such...confidence...like he truly believed every single word. She had never really seen this side of him before, but...she would have been lying if she said she didn’t like it.

“And I get it. I get why you felt alone. Your best friend Shiho - someone who you’ve probably made countless memories with, someone who’s been by your side for a long time - just left your life. It’s okay to feel how you did.”

“Ren...”

Ann latched her arms around Ren and pulled him into a strong embrace.

“Thank you...” was all that she could muster. Ren wrapped his arms around her in response, and began to softly caress her back with his hand. He felt tears pool onto his shoulder, but he didn’t care. They stood like this for a few minutes, before Ann decided to speak up. “But...you know what?” Ann began, pulling herself away from the hug to face him directly. She gave him a soft smile. “I think I’ll be okay. Shiho wouldn’t want me to be sad, she would want me to move on and make new memories with the people I still have with me. You’re my best friend too, and...I want to make memories with _you..._ if that’s okay with you, that is.”

Ren’s heart was practically beating out of his chest. He couldn’t believe a girl as amazing as her was saying these things to him. All he could do was give her a smile in return and say “Of course.” Her smile grew at his response.

“I love you, Ren...” Ann finished. 

Ren’s eyes widened at her statement. Now, he wasn’t expecting her to say _that_. He thought for a moment that his heart would legit stop at this point.

She stood there for a few moments with a dopey smile before she realized what she just said. Her eyes shot wide open, and her cheeks progressed to a much deeper red. “W-wait, w-what did I just say!?”

“I...think you said...’I love you’?”

“I-I said what!?” she paused for a moment. “I...I mean...yeah, I said it!” she stated more confidently this time, face still burning. “And I meant it too! I really love you. Like, REALLY really!” Ren didn’t say a word. “S-so...” Ann began with a more quiet tone. “...d-do you...HMPH!”

Ren was tired of holding back. Her question was cut off by his lips crashing into hers. She was shocked by his kiss for a few seconds, but she took the hint, closed her eyes, and relaxed into it. She wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him even closer, while he locked his arms around her waist with the same intention. This...Ann had never felt anything like what she was currently feeling. It was... _magical._

After a few more seconds, their lips parted as they breathed heavily. They, still incredibly close to one another, hopelessly stared into each other’s eyes.

“So...” Ann began. “I guess that answers _that_ question.” They both laughed at her joke.

“I still want to say it, though,” Ren stated. “I love you too, Ann,” he declared in a soft, yet proud voice. Ann couldn’t help but grin ear-to-ear at his gesture.

“You’re adorable, you know that?”

“Oh, but I think one of us here is waaaay more adorable than the other.”

“Oh, shut up,” she responded, giving him a light punch on the arm. “So I guess...we _are_ more than just friends now. Ugh, this is gonna be so embarrassing...” she said. “But you know what? I don’t care...you’re worth it.”

“So are you.” The two stood there together for a few calm seconds, just smiling. Neither could believe this conversation was real. Ann had been wishing - no - _praying_ for a moment like this her entire life, and it was finally happening. Ren just wanted someone to love him for who he was, and he now knew that he finally found that person. A weight lifted off of both of their shoulders.

“Hey,” Ann started, breaking the silence.

“Mm?”

“Do you wanna just...talk...for a while?”

“Talk?”

“Y’know, just stay here and talk for a bit? I don’t care what we talk about, I just...I don’t wanna go home just yet. There’s some chairs over there if you wanna sit down.” She pointed to the two blue chairs behind Ren. He turned his head and saw the chairs. He turned back to her and smiled at her endearing words.

“I’d love to.”


	2. A Much Needed Conversation (T for Mild Language and Suggestive Themes)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story takes place shortly after Ren and Ann become a couple. This one is something I’ve always had on my mind and I really wanted to tell it, so I hope you guys like it :)

His ears perked up at the jingle of the tiny bell attached to the door. He glanced up from his curry pot a moment, before turning his head back down after seeing who had arrived.

“Ah, you’re back,” Sojiro acknowledged upon seeing Ren. He received no response to his statement, and instead was treated to a seemingly endless number of “tip tap” sounds that he assumed must have originated from his phone’s keyboard. Sojiro chuckled to himself as he heard Ren plop himself onto one of the booth seats without saying a word. “As resounding as always,” Sojiro silently remarked to himself. “I’m making you some curry, it’ll be done in a few minutes.”

“Okay,” Ren responded. _“_ _Ah, so he IS alive,”_ Sojiro thought to himself. 

“...Hey, where’s Morgana?”

“He stayed home today. He was just really tired. ‘Sure he’s upstairs taking a nap.”

“Hm.” Sojiro brought his attention back to his curry to make the final adjustments. Several minutes later, he silently patted himself on the back for creating yet another masterpiece as he walked over to Ren’s table and gave him his plate. “I actually made some for myself, too. So if you don’t mind, I’ll be joining you.”

“That’s fine,” Ren commented, still focused on his phone. Sojiro grabbed his own plate, made his way to Ren’s table, and sat down across from him. He started eating for a few minutes in silence. Finally, he decided to look up, and noticed that Ren was still typing on his phone.

“Alright, something’s up,” Sojiro stated. Ren’s eyes visibly widened at his words. He surprisingly turned off his phone and set it down on the table.

“Huh?”

“Oh, don’t ‘huh’ me. Look at yourself, you haven’t even touched your curry. That’s not the Ren I know. What is so important on that phone of yours?”

“I was just...texting.”

“Well I figured _that_ , but who could be so important that you had to text them before you even started eating?” Ren paused for a moment, his cheeks turning ever-so-slightly red. 

“U-um...” he trailed off, moving his eyes away from Sojiro’s. It didn’t take long for Sojiro to piece the puzzle together. His expression became smug.

“Ah...I see what’s going on here. Ren, if you were texting some girl you could’ve just told me.” Ren remained silent, proving that Sojiro hit it right on the nose. “So...” Sojiro began. “What’s her name?”

Ren sighed. “I told her I wouldn’t tell anybody that we’re...” he stopped, realizing what he just implied. “Shit...” he mumbled to himself.

“So you’re _dating_ her? Wow, kid, I didn’t think you’d have it in ya, especially since you’ve only been here for a few months.”

“What have I gotten myself into...” Ren asked himself as he facepalmed.

“Hey,” Sojiro began in a more serious tone. Ren uncovered his face and focused his eyes back onto Sojiro’s. “Listen, kid, I’m not gonna make you tell me who it is. But...at least let me give you some of these...” He got up, walked behind the kitchen counter, and began looking through the drawers. After about a minute of searching, he had found what he was looking for. Ren could see that he had something in his hand as he began to make his way back, but it looked like Sojiro had intentionally kept it hidden from his view. He came back to the table and sat down. “Here,” he said as he moved one of his hands underneath the table. Ren took the hint and held his hand open underneath Sojiro’s to receive whatever he had for him. That texture...it felt like some sort of...wrapper? He pulled his hand back into view, still underneath the table, to see exactly what Sojiro had given him.

 _“Oh. My. God,”_ Ren thought to himself as he looked at the several little packets. Yep, condoms. “I wanna die. Someone please just kill me now.”

“Oh, come on. Is it really that big of a deal?”

“Okay, first of all, why do you even have these?”

“What do you mean ‘why do I have these’? You always gotta have some just in case. Everyone does. You never know what could happen! And that’s not even your business.”

“Oh, but _my_ personal life is _yours_!?” Ren exclaimed. Silence hit the room for a solid minute.

...

Sojiro sighed.

“Look, kid, I’ve been a teenager before. I know hormones are all over the place and one thing can lead to another and...my point is, things can escalate quickly.” Ren stayed quiet. “I’m not your dad, so I’m not gonna control what you do or don’t do with your girlfriend, but...” Sojiro paused. “I just want you be safe, alright?”

Ren gave his words some thought. He couldn’t believe he was having this conversation, but for some reason it made him feel... _important_ to Sojiro. Yeah, he would always be a weird, middle-aged man, but in the end, he really did just want the best for him.

“Boss, I’m...I’m sorry. I was overreacting.”

“I’m sorry too. I get it, I...shouldn’t have been so nosey.” 

“No, it’s fine. You were just trying to keep me safe, and...I know it didn’t seem like it, but I’m really thankful for that.” He gave Sojiro a soft smile as he put the packets in his pocket. Sojiro returned Ren’s smile with his own. “And...you know what? The way you responded to this whole thing was actually kinda...cool. My dad would never have done anything like this.”

Sojiro found some mysterious satisfaction in being compared to Ren’s father like that. He didn’t quite understand it yet, but...he did.

“I’m just trying to make sure you don’t go doing anything stupid, is all.”

“Okay, but, just to be clear, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about... _this_...for a while.”

“Well, better to be safe than sorry, right? Now enough about that, eat your curry.”

“Wha- are you kidding me? After _that_ whole spiel you’re gonna tell me to ‘eat my curry’?” Ren asked, doing his best Sojiro impression at the end. The two laughed for a few seconds.

“Okay, okay, fair enough,” Sojiro responded. “Look, eat it or not, it’s getting pretty late. I’m gonna close up the shop tonight and head home,” he finished as he got up from the booth. 

“Are you sure? I can do it if you want.”

“Nah, it’s fine. It’s my treat for...weirding you out.” The two snickered.

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

Sojiro started on getting the shop ready to close. After a few minutes of work, Sojiro glanced at Ren and chuckled at finding him wolfing down his curry like normal. “Some things never change,” he said to himself with a grin. He waited for him to finish so he could grab his plate and wash it with the others.

Once he finished cleaning up, Sojiro grabbed his belongings and began to head for the door. He noticed Ren was still at the booth, back to typing on his phone. “Alright, I’m outta here. Goodnight,” he said to him as he reached for the door handle. Ren let out a deep sigh.

“Ann.” Ren’s voice made Sojiro stop in his tracks. He turned around to see Ren facing him from the booth.

“Huh?”

“It’s...Ann,” he stated. Sojiro stood there silently for a moment.

“Heh,” he began with a slight grin. “I knew it.”

“Oh bullshit, you did not.”

“I had a pretty good idea,” Sojiro defended. “I’ve seen the way you’ve acted around her when she comes by. I just didn’t want to say anything.” Ren sighed. “...She’s a sweet girl.”

“...Yeah...she is.”

“You better not screw it up, girls like her don’t come around often, you know.”

“I know. And I won’t, I promise. Just...please don’t tell anyone. About... _any_ of this.”

“I won’t, I won’t. Alright, goodnight.” And with that, Sojiro began to make his way home.

As he walked down the dark, yet cozy streets of Yongen-Jaya, he couldn’t help but smile to himself.

“Heh, some kid I’ve taken in, huh?”

**Just wanted to write something funny and heartwarming with Ren and Sojiro. I know this was probably not what most of you were expecting, but I hope you enjoyed it anyways. We’ll get back to Ren and Ann in the next chapter, I promise!**


	3. Together, Part 1 (PG)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains some major spoilers for Persona 5.

It was a chilly November evening in Yongen-Jaya, when Ren was casually lying on his mattress in his room above Sojiro Sakura’s Cafe Leblanc. The bed was old and small, and although it had grown on him and was _somewhat_ comfortable, he knew he still desired something more. He brought his arm into his vision to glance at his watch. _9:13 PM_. “Ugh,” he muttered to himself. He couldn’t bring himself to fall asleep, not tonight; for he knew what was awaiting him the next day. He decided to sit up and look outside his window. Everything felt so...normal. The streets were still lively, the dark sky was colored with countless stars, the moon was watching over him, even Morgana - sleeping soundly on the sofa - was right there next to him...and yet, nothing was normal at all, and Ren felt more alone than ever. He let out a deep sigh, before he heard a familiar sound.

_Vrrrrt. Vrrrrt._

Ren reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out. He pressed the power button to find a text message on his notification screen.

_Ann: “Hey.”_

He loved it when she texted him at night. He loved being reminded before he went to sleep that he belonged to the most perfect girl in the world, and she belonged to him. Even on a night like tonight, just seeing _something_ from her made him feel a bit better. He unlocked his phone with a grin and opened the Messages app to respond.

_Ren: “Hey.”_

_Ann: “Can’t sleep either huh?”_

_Ren: “Lol, not a chance.”_

_Ann: “How are you feeling?”_

_Ren: “I’m okay.”_

_Ann is typing..._

_Ann: “Okay I know it’s late but do you wanna come over? I just really want to talk to you. My caretakers are out of town right now but they said it was okay as long as we behave ourselves.”_

Ren smiled to himself as began to type his response.

_Ren: “Of course. I’ll be on my way. See you in 30”_

_Ann: “Awesome! <3”_

Ren turned his phone off and put it back into his pocket. He walked over to Morgana and gently pet his head to wake him up.

“Hey, Morgana,” he whispered. He could see Morgana’s eyes slowly lift open.

“Nnnghh...what?”

“I’m going out for a bit. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I just figured I should let you know.”

“Shouldn’t you be getting sleep right now?” Morgana yawned before continuing. “Tomorrow’s a big day. A... _really_ big day.”

“Trust me, I tried. I think it’ll be better if I just go and...try to clear my head, you know?”

“Mm...whatever you say. Just don’t stay up too late. We can’t infiltrate Sae’s Palace with a half-asleep leader tomorrow, y’know. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” With those words exchanged, Morgana’s eyes closed once more as he seemed to drift off almost instantly. Ren chuckled to himself as he made his way downstairs. He snagged the shop’s keys before heading out the door, locking it behind him, and making his way to the station.

* * *

Ann sat lazily on her living room couch. She continuously kicked the edge of the couch with the heels of her feet as she played some video game on her phone, just trying to occupy herself until her lover arrived. After what felt like ages to her, she heard the familiar _“ding dong”_ sound from her doorbell. She sprang up from her seat and quickly made her way to the door. She unlocked it and opened it to find on the other side the boy she had been longing to see.

“Hey!” The two said in unison. “How are you? Oh, I’m fine, thanks,” they continued. They stopped themselves and after realizing what just happened, they burst into laughter as their cheeks turned to a slightly darker shade of pink than normal.

“Okay, okay, _my_ turn,” Ann began, still grinning. “Come in, it’s freezing out there.” Ren followed her command as she shut the door behind him, making sure to lock it back. He turned to face her after she finished, and observed her from head to toe. She was wearing a casual nightly outfit: a plain red t-shirt along with some black joggers. Ren laughed.

“I’m so jealous.”

“Huh, of what?”

“Of the fact that you look stunning in literally whatever you decide to wear.” Ann turned to a deep red as she giggled at his compliment.

“Oh, stop,” she said playfully. “You seriously don’t give yourself enough credit. I didn’t fall in love with you _just_ because of your personality, y’know,” she stated with a smile. Ren returned it.

“I’d kiss you, but my lips are probably frozen,” he joked.

“Mhm...” she trailed off. “Well I guess we’ll just have to wait for them to warm up,” she said, deciding not to take the bait.

 _“Dammit,”_ Ren thought to himself.

“C’mon, let’s go to my room.” She grabbed his hand and brought him down a hallway until they reached their destination. She opened the door and led him inside. The room was almost pitch black until Ann found the lamp near her bed and switched it on. Ren looked around the room; he unconsciously focused on the magazines that were unusually spread out across the floor. Ann noticed his eyes. “Sorry, I know it’s kinda messy.” Ren quickly focused his eyes back to her.

“Oh no, it’s fine, don’t worry about it,” he quickly responded. Ann sat herself down on the edge of her bed before patting a spot next to her. Ren got the message and took a seat. Ann moved her hands to rest on her lap. “So...” Ren started. “...what did you wanna talk about?” She waited a few seconds to respond.

“I just wanted to talk about...” Her face quickly changed to a more nervous expression as her eyes drifted to her feet. “...tomorrow.”

“Oh...right,” Ren acknowledged. He wanted to forget, he wanted to forget _so bad_ about tomorrow and what would have to be done...but he knew he couldn’t, knew _they_ couldn’t.

Ann sighed.

“I _know_ we’re ready for the worst, I _know_ we have a plan and everything...but...” she turned to face him. “I’m _scared_...” They stared at each other for a few seconds, filling the room with silence.

“I know,” Ren began. “Sae’s Shadow is probably gonna be the toughest enemy we’ve ever faced-”

“Ren,” she said, looking straight into his eyes. “You _know_...that’s not what I meant.” He was trying to dodge the conversation, and she picked it up almost instantly.

Ren sighed in defeat.

“Yeah...”

“There are so many variables at hand,” Ann stated with worry in her voice. “What if the app doesn’t work like we want it to? What if you can’t convince Sae to show Akechi the phone? What if-“

“Ann.” Ren’s voice stopped her. He looked at her face, and saw the water building up in her eyes. Her body was trembling, just at the _thought_ of something going wrong. He recognized it instantly, and placed his hands on her shoulders to hopefully give her at least _some_ comfort. He sighed once again. “I’m...I’m scared too. I’m scared that something may go wrong, that the plan may not work, that this...may be the last time that we-”

“Don’t say it.” Ann interrupted.

“Well...you know. But...we’re fighting for something much bigger than ourselves. We _have_ to do this if we want to get to the bottom of this thing and save people’s lives. Yes, something may go wrong and things could end up really, really bad, but...we have to try. _I_...have to try.” Ann remained silent. “I know that the odds seem stacked against us, but you know what? They _always_ have been, and for some reason, even though tomorrow and the days after are gonna be really scary...I feel it in my _heart_...that we can do this.”

“Ren...”

“I know it’s probably really tough for you to do this right now, but...” Ren began. “I want - no - I _need_ you to trust me.” He placed a hand on her cheek. “Okay?”

“I...” Ann began. _“God...how does he always know exactly what to say?”_ she thought to herself. She sighed. “Okay. I trust you.” she finished, giving Ren a faint smile. Ren gave her one right back, before wrapping his arms around her to pull her into a strong embrace. A few seconds passed before Ann spoke up. “...Ren?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you, you know that? So...so much.”

“I love you too, Ann. More than you could ever know.” They sat there in each other’s arms, letting the tears flow, for minutes that felt like hours.

Eventually, Ren pulled himself away to face her.

“Hey.”

“Mm?”

“I think my lips are warm now,” he said, trying to lighten the mood. It worked like a charm. Ann giggled, and they gave each other one last smile before closing the distance. Ann locked her hands behind Ren’s neck, as Ren locked his behind her back. Their lips were practically magnetic to each other. The sensation of sharing one breath...it would never get old to either of them.

After a few more moments of pure bliss, they reluctantly decided to separate. They rested their foreheads together as they gasped for breath. Minutes went by as they just sat there in silence, enjoying the pure intimacy of the moment.

“Please stay...” Ann finally pleaded. “I don’t want to be alone tonight.” Ren smiled.

“I don’t want to either.” Ann beamed at his response. She got up from the bed and motioned Ren to do so as well. He did as she asked. She leaned over and pulled the bedsheets back, before getting on the bed and crawling over to the far side. Ren laid himself down on the empty side, as Ann pulled the sheets over the two of them.

Ann noticed that Ren was lying on his back while she was lying on her stomach. _“Hmm...”_ she thought to herself. Ren took his glasses off and set them on the nightstand next to her bed.

“Well...goodnight,” he stated.

“Oh hell no,” Ann responded with a slight chuckle. “C’mere.” Ren scooted closer to her and waited for her next move. She moved over to rest her head and free arm on his chest. He used the opportunity to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her even closer. Once they were settled, Ann closed her eyes and listened.

 _BaBum...BaBum..._ _BaBum..._

She couldn’t help but giggle to herself. This moment...she knew she would cherish it for the rest of her life. “So... _this_ is what it feels like.”

“Yeah...it is.”

“I hope that one day...we’ll be able to do this whenever we want...y’know?”

Ren chuckled to himself.

“We will. I know it,” he declared proudly. Ann gave him a satisfied “mm” sound. Ren used his unoccupied arm to reach the switch for the lamp and turn it off. “Goodnight, Ann. For real this time.” Ann smiled to herself.

“Goodnight, Ren.”

And as the pair drifted off into a peaceful sleep, Ren finally knew for certain that no matter what happened the next day, or the days following, he wouldn’t be alone to face it.


	4. Together, Part 2 (PG)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another slight rewrite, this time of some events from November 21st. Obviously major spoilers if you haven’t gotten to that point in the game yet.

By the evening of November 21st, the world of Tokyo was flipped upside down. The Phantom Thieves, the mysterious group of vigilantes that could change people’s hearts at will, were supposedly also responsible for the strange, horrifying deaths of many innocent people; and their leader, after being captured by the police, had abruptly committed suicide.

...Or so it seemed.

In a quiet district of Tokyo, a humble café was currently occupied with said Phantom Thieves...but they certainly weren’t lacking any members. No, Ren Amamiya was very much alive, and he, along with the other Phantom Thieves, had just finished explaining to Public Prosecutor Sae Niijima and café owner Sojiro Sakura how he had escaped the clutches of death.

“...What frightening teenagers...” Sae stated in fascination of the Thieves’ incredibly complex plan to outsmart the backstabbing Akechi, who plotted to kill their leader and frame the Thieves for the deaths that he had caused.

“But the true battle has only just begun,” Makoto added. “We won the first round, but we _must_ stay on our toes.”

“Yeah, this ain’t the time to be celebratin’,” Ryuji said in agreement.

“These people tried to trap and kill us,” Yusuke began in disgust. “There is no end to their inhuman, conniving nature. We will need to be prepared for whatever may come our way.” Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Okay, wait a minute,” Sojiro said hesitantly. “What about the police report on Ren’s death? Won’t it be shown to his school and other places he’s been affiliated with?”

“Already taken care of,” Sae quickly responded. “I managed to work something out with the higher-ups. As long as he stays quiet and lays low, no one will know a thing.”

“Wait...so that means he gets to skip school until we sort this whole thing out!?” Ryuji asked. “Psh, lucky bastard,” he finished with a chuckle. The group laughed at his remark, relieving some of the tension of the stressful situation.

Morgana let out a yawn a few moments later.

“Well I don’t know about you guys, but all this talk got me tuckered out,” he said.

“Yeah, I think it’s about time we wrap this whole thing up,” Futaba added. “Everyone needs to get some rest.”

“Alright, I guess we can discuss this further later,” Makoto stated. “Let’s get out of Ren’s hair for tonight, guys.”

“Waaaay ahead of you,” Morgana said, drowsily making his way up the staircase.

“I guess you’re good for the night, huh?” Sojiro asked Ren, to which he nodded in response. “Alright, I’ll go ahead and leave too then. Just make sure to close up.”

Everyone began making their way to the door. Ren hastily walked past them to open the door for them on their way out. _“It’s the least I could do,”_ he thought to himself. One by one, they exited the café and headed their separate ways...

....Well, except for one.

Ren turned around to find Ann still there, standing by the chairs next to the bar. He decided to close the door. After a few silent moments, she stepped towards him, before stopping once she was a few inches away. She paused to look up at him for a couple of seconds, before she quickly clasped herself around him.

“Thank. _God_ ,” she began in a weak voice. Ren promptly embraced her in response. “I’m sorry for keeping you, but I just...it took everything from me to hold back until they were gone.”

“It’s alright. I wanted to see you too,” Ren responded with assurance in his voice. “I missed you so much.”

“Tell me about it,” Ann started. “I was optimistic that the plan would work, I really was...but when I saw the news...well...I won’t lie and say that I didn’t think that you really might have been...”

“...I’m so sorry, Ann.” She pulled away from the embrace to face him.

“It’s okay,” she said with a faint smile. She moved her hand to his cheek. “You’re here now, that’s all that matters.” Ren returned the smile and moved his hand to rest over hers. Ann felt complete again, just from his touch. She met his gaze, and decided that she had waited long enough and leaned forward to let her lips meet his. Ren retaliated by wrapping his free arm around her waist. Their hearts finally began to beat with real energy; they felt _alive_ again. Ann shifted her hand away from Ren’s to advance to his hair. She couldn’t resist running her fingers through his messy, black strands as he softly moved his hand up and down her back.

After a few more seconds, Ann decided it was time to separate. She pulled away slightly as she felt his breath against her face, and vice versa.

“I’m sorry,” she began, her happy expression slowly beginning to dwindle. “I should probably get going, you need to get some rest.” Ren let out a deep sigh. Her leaving was the last thing that he wanted, but...he knew she was right.

“Okay,” he responded melancholily. He pulled her in for one last hug. They grudgingly separated after a few moments, and Ren opened the door for her. She walked outside before turning back to him. “Bye,” she said with a faint smile.

“Bye,” he responded with a similar expression. With that, she walked out of his view and he closed the door.

He turned around and began to walk to the bar when he heard the bell on the door chime. He listened to the footsteps that were reaching him, and before he knew it he was turned completely around and a pair of familiar lips crashed onto his. Ren was startled, but after recognizing the culprit, he relaxed into it. Before he probably wanted her to, she separated from him again.

“I just...needed one more,” Ann said with a guilty expression. Ren couldn’t help but smirk at her.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She walked back to the door. This time, no goodbyes were exchanged, they just gave each other one last loving look before she went off into the night. Ren headed back to the bar to start closing up the café.

* * *

Once Ren had finished, he went upstairs and sat down on his bed. He exhaled deeply, letting the pent-up stress from the past few days finally leave his body. He then turned his head to the sofa, where Morgana was lying.

But he wasn’t asleep.

“So...” Morgana began. “How was Lady Ann doing?” Ren’s stomach dropped. He thought he had already gone to sleep.

“S-she’s doing fine...” Ren trailed off. “Uh...how much did you hear?”

“A lot,” Morgana said nonchalantly. “Enough to put two and two together.”

...

 _“Shit...”_ Ren thought to himself as his face turned red. He remained silent for a few moments, trying to think of something to say. “I...uh...are you...upset?” Ren asked him. Morgana gave him a confused look.

“Upset? Why would I be upset?”

“Well...don’t you...like her?” Morgana paused for a moment. Then his eyes lit up when he grasped the whole situation.

“Oh. _That_ ,” he said in realization. He chuckled to himself. “Yeah, I guess so,” he admitted. “But...I’ve had suspicions about this for a while now. You two have definitely seemed a lot closer in recent memory, and those times where you went out at night by yourself were certainly suspect.” Ren continued to listen. “Y’know...I’ve been doing some heavy thinking recently, about myself and about my memories. And...it’s looking like I’m probably not really human,” he finished with a solemn look.

Ren stared at the floor.

“But...” Morgana began to regain Ren’s attention. “I think...I think I’m okay with that,” he stated with a faint smile. Ren returned it. “And besides, Lady Ann has definitely looked a lot happier than her usual self recently. I guess it’s because of you. I think she really loves you, Ren, and I think you really love her, so...there’s no way I’m getting in between that.”

Ren beamed at Morgana’s heartfelt words.

“Thanks, Morgana,” he replied.

“Don’t mention it,” Morgana said. “But...if you do break her heart, I _will_ claw your eyes out,” he finished half-jokingly. Ren laughed.

“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that.”

“Okay. I’ve got my eye on you, leader.”

“Noted.”

Morgana let out another yawn after a few moments of silence.

“Alright, I’ve had enough talk for one day. Let’s get to bed, shall we?”

Ren let out a yawn of his own. They really were contagious.

“We shall. Goodnight, Morgana.”

“Goodnight, Ren.”

Before heading off to sleep, Ren elected to turn to the window one last time. Through it, he saw the comforting streets of Yongen-Jaya, the beautiful night sky glowing with thousands of stars, and even the tranquil moon. He sighed in relief, thankful for being able to see it all once more.


	5. Cakes, Crêpes, and Keepsakes, Part 1 (T for Suggestive Themes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of a cute Christmas story. Tons of fluff, be prepared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took so long, I’ve been really busy with school and other things but now I’m done with school so I should be able to get fics out more often.

The streets of Tokyo were lively on Christmas Eve. Families filled the shops and stores, trying to find last minute presents for their loved ones. Couples were roaming the city squares, enjoying the sight of the beautiful lights and decorations that were displayed that night. Everyone seemed to be out and about.

Everyone except for Ren and Ann, at least. While they had spent part of their time together in the city, they made their way back to Café Leblanc early on, deciding to spend time with together privately. As they enjoyed their Christmas cake and exchanged loving remarks to each other on the couch upstairs, Ann curiously turned her head to Ren’s window. Her eyes widened at what they were met with.

“Ooh...look, look!” She exclaimed, pointing towards the window.

“Hm?” Ren asked in a muffled voice, still eating his cake.

“Over here!” Ann said as she made her way to sit on the edge of Ren’s bed that was closest to the window. Ren followed and sat to her left. Ann unhooked the window’s latch and slid it open so they could see what greeted them on the other side.

“Whoa,” Ren murmured to himself.

“That’s...a _lot_ more snow than there was earlier,” Ann stated in amazement. The flakes fell endlessly over the streets of Yongen-Jaya. They gave the town some sort of unexplainable...vibrance. Something the two had never quite seen before. “It’s gorgeous...”

“Mhm...” Ren replied softly. Ann turned to him and found that he was not looking at the snow at all, but instead straight at her. She blushed and smiled as she rolled her eyes.

“Geez, you are cheesy,” Ann said jokingly. Ren simply shrugged with his eyes closed; he knew she loved it, she just didn’t want to admit it to his face. She giggled at his response as she turned back to the snow. Silence hit the room for a few seconds before she continued. “I dunno if I’ve ever been this happy in my life. It feels like I finally found my fairytale ending. Well...it’s not exactly an _ending_ , I guess, but...you know what I mean. When I’m this happy, part of me wonders if it’s even real.”

“I think you’re overthinking it,” Ren said, chuckling. Ann thought for a moment, before laughing herself.

“You’re right. I guess I’m just not used to actually being content.”

“So, I make you content, huh?” Ren suggested. Ann laughed again before inching closer to Ren and resting her head on his shoulder. He responded by wrapping his arm around her, pulling her even tighter.

“Absolutely,” she replied.

The couple sat together and watched the snow continue to fall for a few quiet minutes.

“Hey,” Ann spoke up, eyes still focused on the snow. “I can stay out as long as I want tonight. So...I thought, maybe...” she trailed off. Ren noticed the nervousness in her voice, how she hadn’t been speaking to him face to face. He analyzed her words in his head for a few seconds. _“Why does she sound so nervous? It’s not like we haven’t done this before. Wait...”_ he thought to himself. _“Is she...?”_

His face turned deep red.

“W-well...I uh...” he muttered. Ann expressed confusion at his tone.

“Is...something wrong?”

“Huh? N-no, it’s just...isn’t it...kind of early to be...”

“What do you mean? This isn’t the first time we’ve...” Ann trailed off as she thought about the possible implications of her words. “O-oh!” she exclaimed with widened eyes once she understood, her face turning color as well. “Y-you thought I was a-asking if we could...”

...

“That wasn’t what you meant at all...” Ren said to himself, moving away from Ann. He facepalmed. “Of course it wasn’t. I’m such an idiot. I’m sorry; I’m so sorry. Obviously you didn’t mean that. I took it the complete wrong way and-”

“No, no, no, it’s okay, Ren!” Ann quickly interrupted. “Seriously! I should have just finished what I was gonna say, I was just a little nervous asking if I could spend the night. But I totally get how you thought that was what I meant.”

A moment of silence passed. Ren sighed and shook his head.

“I don’t deserve you,” he said, removing his hand from his face to look at her directly. Ann placed her hands on his shoulders.

“Stop it, Ren, of course you do. It’s not that big of a deal; misunderstandings happen all the time,” she assured Ren. “And...hey.” she began, staring at the nearby floor. “If it makes you feel any better...it’s not like _I_ haven’t thought about it...” she finished with her eyes focused back on Ren’s, her cheeks burning.

“Do you...really mean that?”

“Of course I do! I love you, Ren; I _really_ love you, and I _want_ to...be with you like that. I just...I don’t think I’m ready yet...y’know?”

“Believe me, I’m not ready either, but when I _am_...I don’t want it with anyone else.” Ann faintly smiled at his words. She placed a hand on his cheek, before leaning forward to place her lips on his, removing the distance he had set between them a few moments ago. Only a couple of seconds passed before she separated from him. “You taste like cake icing,” Ann stated with a grin. They both fell into laughter. “You know, you still haven’t answered my question.”

“Oh, right!” Ren said, recalling her words. “Well, there’s no point in even asking. Of course you can, it’s Christmas Eve, after all.”

“We should probably get some sleep then,” Ann said. “I’m sure everyone’s planning to stop by the café tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Ren agreed. He got up from the bed to close the window and lock it.

“I’m gonna get a bit more comfortable,” Ann stated. “Is there somewhere you want me to put my jacket?”

“Here, I-I’ll take care of it,” Ren said as he turned back to her. He took her jacket off for her, causing her to sheepishly grin at the floor. He placed it on the nearby chair. “There’s only one pillow,” he said in realization. “Hmm. Uh...I think there might be one in the closet downstairs. I’ll go check,” he finished. Ann nodded at him as he began to walk down the steps.

She took this time to slip her shoes off before lying down on the side of the bed closest to the window. She grabbed the blanket and pulled it over herself. A couple of minutes had passed before Ren came back upstairs.

“No pillow,” he said in a slightly defeated voice. “It’s fine, you can just take mine.”

“Such a gentleman,” Ann teased as she grabbed the pillow and placed it under her head. “Thanks,” she said sincerely. Ren set his glasses on his workbench and his shoes below it before crawling into the bed’s empty side.

Ann faced the window as a chilly gust of air brushed her skin. She felt chill bumps across her body as she began to shiver. “God, it’s cold,” she said to herself. “Uh, you know what? Why don’t we just share the pillow?”

“It’s...really small, though.”

“That’s the point, dummy,” she teased. “I’m freezing to death; now get over here and fix it!” Ren grinned to himself. He wormed his way next to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. Ann felt an almost instant warmth, a warmth that she was confident no blanket could ever hope to replicate. She smiled at his touch, and inched back into him as he rested his forehead against the top of her head. “Ah...much better.”

“Goodnight,” he whispered as he planted a kiss on her head.

“Goodnight,” she responded. She looked out the window one last time to find that the tiny white speckles were still falling from the sky. Something about the sight of it was magical to her. She sighed in satisfaction, before drifting off to sleep with her lover.

* * *

The morning sun’s radiant beams finally broke through the window upstairs. They grazed over Ann’s body, and eventually reached her face. The feeling of it caused her eyes to slit open. She let out a yawn before she felt the chill bumps again; she turned herself around to find that Ren was not behind her. She sat up in disappointment, and glanced around the room. “No clothes, no glasses...hmmm,” she muttered to herself. She heard the faint sound of kitchen utensils clanking downstairs and decided to get out of bed, put her jacket and shoes back on, and investigate.

As she made her way downstairs, her nose was hit with a sweet smell that seemed strangely familiar to her. She entered the main room and realized that the source of the noise was none other than Ren. He was hard at work behind the café’s bar, using all kinds of different tools and ingredients. She couldn’t help but stand and observe him in awe for a few minutes. She noticed that he was wearing the earmuffs she gave him last night. She grinned to herself. Finally, Ren turned his head upwards and discovered her. He smiled at her presence, before returning his gaze to cooking.

“Your hair’s messy,” he commented with a grin. Ann instinctively pulled out her phone and opened the camera app. Her iconic ponytails were still intact, but sure enough, they were a bit ruffled and some strands of hair were sticking out.

“Ugh, I’ll go fix it.”

“Hey, no, don’t worry about it. It’s cute,” Ren added. Ann smiled softly.

“Even so, I still need to fix it. It’s 8:30, and by the looks of the group chat, everyone will be over here in like an hour.”

“You can do it after breakfast,” Ren insisted. Ann remained silent for a few moments in acceptance.

“So...” she began. “Whatcha makin’?” Ann asked.

“Something for you.” Ren replied. “Take a seat, it’ll be ready in couple minutes.” Ann smiled and followed his command.

“As long as you don’t set the café on fire,” she teased as she sat down at one of the café’s booths.

“I’d watch your mouth if I were you,” Ren warned. “Unless you want me to eat these crêpes myself.”

“Okay okay I will, because that definitely sounds...” Ann paused and her eyes widened at the realization of his words. “Wait. You’re making CRÊPES!?”

“Yep.”

“...O-okay,” she replied, trying to regain her composure. She turned to look out the window. _“Since when has he been able to make crêpes!?”_ she thought to herself. _“Hmm...damn, he’s good. Trying to butter up his girlfriend with her favorite food on Christmas Day, eh? Well, I’m not gonna fall for his little stunt that easy. These better be the best crêpes I’ve had in my entire life-”_

_*Clink!*_

Ann’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a plate lightly hitting the table. She turned to find in front of her none other than Ren’s crêpes, along with a knife and some chopsticks. The crêpes were folded neatly, and on top of each one were four or five strawberries, layered with whipped cream and some streaks of chocolate pudding. Ann couldn’t deny it: they looked delicious.

“Enjoy,” Ren said confidently as he sat himself on the opposite side of the booth. Ann took the knife and cut herself a small slice. She used her chopsticks to grab it and, after staring at it for a few moments, plopped it into her mouth. Ren observed in anticipation as she chewed. Once she finished, she had no other thought in her mind than:

_“These are the best crêpes I’ve had in my entire life.”_

“Well?” Ren asked.

“It’s...amazing,” Ann admitted.

“Yes!” Ren exclaimed as he threw his fist into the open air. Ann couldn’t help but giggle at his childhood excitement.

“Okay, I gotta say it: I’ve seen you brew coffee and make curry here and there, but I mean...I had no idea you could make _crêpes_!”

“Oh, believe me it took many tries. I’m just glad I finally got it right by the big day,” Ren admitted. Ann’s expression grew confused at his words.

“Wait, big day?” she began. “Are you...are you saying that you learned how to make crêpes...just for me?”

“Yeah. I learned pretty quickly that it was your favorite food, so...”

“So...what?” Ann inquired. “What’s your goal here, you tryin’ to butter me up for something?” she teased. Ren laughed.

“Nope. I just wanted to show you how much I love you. That, and I’m pretty sure I owed you a Christmas gift.” Ann smiled.

“Thank you, Ren,” she began softly. “But you don’t owe me anything. You being here with me is the only thing I need.” Ren paused for a moment.

“Wow,” he began. “And you said _I_ was cheesy.”

“Oh shut up!” she exclaimed in a fluster as she forcefully flicked her finger into his forehead from across the table. Ren continued to chuckle, ignoring the slight pain.

“Well, if I’m enough, then I guess you don’t want these,” he teased as he placed a hand on her plate of crêpes. Ann quickly smacked his hand away with her own.

“Now I didn’t say _that_.”

“Heh, that’s what I thought,” he stated.

“Y’know, you really should try a bite. You’ve seriously outdone yourself.” _“More than I’d like to admit,”_ she thought to herself.

“Nah it’s fine, my hands are a mess and I don’t wanna get your chopsticks dirt-”

“Wait! Uh...let me just...feed you?” Ann interrupted. Ren’s eyes widened slightly, and his face turned a little pink. He had to admit: he loved it when she got bold like that.

“Okay,” he said with a faint smile. She softly grinned to herself as she cut him a slice and grabbed it with her chopsticks. She leaned over the table to bring it close to his mouth. He opened up and grabbed it with his teeth as she slid the chopsticks away from him. As he chewed, a smile grew on his face. “You’re wright. Dis ish preddy gud.” They looked at each other for a few more seconds before laughing in unison at the situation they were in. After the noise died down, they began to stare into each other’s eyes, still smiling softly. “Merry Christmas, Ann.”

“Merry Christmas, Ren.”

They leaned their heads forward and closed their eyes, but they were quickly snapped out of their trance when they heard the bell on the front door ring.

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, sorry for the wait, everyone. I hope you all still enjoyed it, and more will be coming much sooner!


End file.
